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Recommend me a stovetop griddle pan.

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    Recommend me a stovetop griddle pan.

    I'm looking for something like this:

    Click image for larger version

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    The Wife has one that's a cheapie, I've been b****ing about it for years. The thing is warped, the handle is loose, the coating is scratched... it's a piece of junk. She only really uses it to cook bacon, and does so on Sat and Sun mornings, or when family is visiting, etc. It isn't used for much else, but it would be good to be ovenproof.

    Almost all the ones I see on Amazon have reviews that say they warp easily - something I can imagine with most aluminum. She doesn't want cast iron, even though this would be awesome to do just bacon on forever. Just the heft is too much.

    We have a couple of Anolon skillets we bought and are very nice, we love them, especially for eggs. I just looked it up on Amazon, they are now 3 years old, they are the Nouvelle copper lineup, I was hoping to find a square griddle pan in that series, but no luck. They do have this one - but I don't think she wants the ridges on it - she prefers the flat griddle surface.

    My biggest issue is warping. Going with something lighter weight, you always run that risk, but like I said, she doesn't want cast iron. Any decent carbon steel flat griddle pans out there? I know a lot of guys here like All Clad as well, is this All Clad HA1 the one I want? I don't want to pay $150 for something we just cook bacon on on weekends - especially when I just got a 36" Blackstone griddle! But I don't want to do that every day every weekend, especially in inclement weather.

    Any of ya'll have that All Clad model, and is it thick enough to heat evenly and resist warping? I hate hate hate a warped griddle pan - especially for bacon, there's so much oil. I actually like that Anolon one with the deeper sides and the pour spouts for oil, but the raised 'grill mark' crap on the bottom I don't want. Grill marks don't impress me - an even sear impresses me.

    Any idea?

    #2
    If you’re not opposed to cast iron Lodge has one that definitely will not warp

    https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

    Certainly cheaper than All Clad but also can be double used as a boat anchor.

    EDIT - Glazed past the part about no cast iron but honestly your most economical choice.
    Last edited by USMCCrashCrew89; October 2, 2021, 07:18 AM.

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      #3
      Just talked with her - she came in and was reading over my shoulder and wasn't impressed she is called "The Wife" in my posts (sigh), she felt like SWMBO was better - I'll stick with my preferred nomenclature, lol.

      Anyways, she confirmed she does not want ridges, does not want cast iron. She prefers square for cooking bacon - I think it's just an OCD thing where it seems like you get more cooking area and the rectangular bacon 'fits' better. She is open to carbon steel, though I don't see any square carbon steel ones. She would like deeper sides, too, and the pour spouts. So the Anolon one looks good, as it's thicker and all, but the ridges do it in.

      All Clad has this one:

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      I think it would work fine, though it's not what she's used to. It honestly doesn't look as thick as this Anolon one, but again, the Anolon ridges are a dealbreaker.

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      I do see some carbon steel ones on Amazon that are like paella pans. If they were square, I think we'd be in business. I am kind of wanting to try carbon steel, see if it replaces my cast iron. I don't know. Anyone tried any of those carbon steel paella pans from Amazon? The larger ones, 15" or so, would be ok, as she could still fit plenty of bacon in them and not feel like it was 'crowded' like in a 10" or 11" round skillet. I see one by Lodge and one by BK that both look promising... 15" carbon steel. Mostly good reviews. Anyone used one of these or something similar?

      Comment


        #4
        Have you tried cookin' bacon in the oven? That's the only way I cook it now. It cooks more evenly and as a bonus, all the spatter in contained in the oven. Just use a sheet pan. I do line the pan with non-stick foil for ease of removing the bacon.
        Last edited by RonB; October 2, 2021, 07:42 AM.

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        • DogFaced PonySoldier
          DogFaced PonySoldier commented
          Editing a comment
          Don't care for it. It has a different texture.

        • STEbbq
          STEbbq commented
          Editing a comment
          Yeah, if indoor bacon is a regular thing then the oven is a excellent idea and would be my preference over stovetop.

        #5
        There is this one from Calphalon. https://www.calphalon.com/cookware/c...P_2109590.html And they are running a site wide 25% off sale this weekend.


        Edit: I was just back on the Calphalon site. That 25% off (code SAVE25) expires at 11:59 EDT tonight.
        Last edited by Draznnl; October 2, 2021, 08:09 AM.

        Comment


        • DogFaced PonySoldier
          DogFaced PonySoldier commented
          Editing a comment
          Looked at the Calphalon one, but some of the reviews mentioned warping on Amazon - I think part of the problem with Amazon is they bundle some reviews? I've seen reviews that were obviously NOT for the product I was looking at. I don't know how that happens, but it does, and more often than I can explain.

        • Draznnl
          Draznnl commented
          Editing a comment
          All I can tell you, DogFaced PonySoldier , is that my sis turned me on to Calphalon more than 20 years ago. Since then, I’ve never had a problem with any of my Calphalon pans, including a square grill pan. I don’t think sis has had any problems either or I would have heard about it.

        #6
        If oven is no-go then what about this? We had one for years and it worked great.

        Presto 07047 Cool Touch Electric Griddle https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0051XSIO6/

        Comment


        • DogFaced PonySoldier
          DogFaced PonySoldier commented
          Editing a comment
          We've got one. She doesn't like it. Don't ask me. I like my Blackstone. lol

        #7
        To be fair, if you are using something 100 times annually, and your perfect pan is $150, I'd probably just suck it up and get it. You just might not be cooking bacon on your Blackstone if you get my drift.
        Last edited by STEbbq; October 2, 2021, 08:44 AM.

        Comment


          #8
          Does she want a new pan or do you? If she's fine with the cheap POS, but you'd like a square pan for other things then I'd either get what you want and let her keep using the beat up one or if she wants a new version of what she's using, just get a new cheap POS pan and replace it every year or three.

          Full confession - I used that same kind of pan for a long time. It's kind of nice since you can do things like bacon edge to edge in it.
          Last edited by rickgregory; October 2, 2021, 12:48 PM.

          Comment


          • STEbbq
            STEbbq commented
            Editing a comment
            This also sounds like a good approach of you don't want to spend the $150 required for one that meets your standards.

          • rickgregory
            rickgregory commented
            Editing a comment
            STEbbq - thing is, if she likes the inexpensive one and DogFaced PonySoldier doesnt care about having a square pan, then you might as well just replace what she has with one that's like the one she likes. She's happy, he's happy that the current warped one with crappy handle is gone.

          • STEbbq
            STEbbq commented
            Editing a comment
            Yup rickgregory we will see what happens!

          #9
          You're right, baked bacon (bakon?) has a different texture. It's cooked more evenly and degree of doneness is the same end to end. If you cooked it to the equivalent doneness as fried bacon, I'd argue that it's better than fried. Go with what you like.

          Even with a 10-12 inch square grill pan, you can't make enough bacon for more than 3 average people (or two bacon lovers) at a time. You can fit a lot of bakon on a half sheet pan end every slice will be identical. I elevate mine with a wire cooling rack and both sides cook wonderfully at the same time. It just takes some getting use to the timing vs. the thickness of the slices.

          Comment


          • DogFaced PonySoldier
            DogFaced PonySoldier commented
            Editing a comment
            Ok. It's just not my thing. Yes, I've tried it, and no, I don't particularly care for it.

          #10
          I've been happy with a set from scanpan. They have several square griddle pans but aren't that cheap. The only set my wife hasn't destroyed so far... https://www.scanpan.com/cookware/cat...alty-pans.html.

          Comment


          • lemayp
            lemayp commented
            Editing a comment
            Yes but pretty indestructible. Had a nice calphalon set that lasted a year at my wife's hands. These are going on 5 with no damage other than a broken lid. She dropped a cast iron Dutch oven on a glass lid, can't fault it for no surviving that.

          • STEbbq
            STEbbq commented
            Editing a comment
            I feel like we need more stories here! 🤣

          • DogFaced PonySoldier
            DogFaced PonySoldier commented
            Editing a comment
            That does look interesting. I see 4 models, ranging from 99-149. Thanks for the tip, and the review on them.

          #11
          The most used pan in my kitchen is a Circulon square griddle. Its at least 15 years old and still going strong - no warping or scratches -non stick not so much, but that's what fat is for.. I can't speak for the durability of the newer models.

          But I do feel that I've solved the warping problem on all but the most inexpensive cooking pans. Move the pan off heat and let Momma Nature cool them. Don't immediately douse them under a stream of water just after you finish cooking. Makes cleanup a little messier - congealed grease and all - but the pans stay flat.

          Comment


          • DogFaced PonySoldier
            DogFaced PonySoldier commented
            Editing a comment
            That seems to be the common rule, but in reading many of the reviews of warped pans on Amazon, many of them CLAIM they are doing just that and the pans warped anyways. I dunno, you have to take those with a grain of salt, I know.

          #12
          FWIW, I have been paying more attention to percentage of 5-star ratings more lately as well. If the percentage 85% to 90% plus I give some allowance for user error and conclude the product is probably good enough.

          For example, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these folks cook on max heat everytime whereas I rarely go above medium.
          Last edited by STEbbq; October 3, 2021, 08:50 AM.

          Comment


            #13
            This may not be what you want but I really like my good old cheap electric griddle for bacon and pancakes. I have some non-stick pans for the stove as well as my Lodge pans.

            Comment


            • DogFaced PonySoldier
              DogFaced PonySoldier commented
              Editing a comment
              We have one of the elctric griddles - The Wife doesn't like it, for various reasons. I'm leaning heavily toward the All Clad right now, or maybe that Danish one.

            #14
            Ninja Griddle Pan. $79.

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